Highway Run
by cab4five
Summary: Two people each running from something, meet in the last place one would expect to find their one, but can they put their past hurt behind them, learn to trust another person, and maybe find love again?


_**HIGHWAY RUN**_

_**A Finn Hudson and Rachel Berry Fan fiction**_

_**\- M rating for language and sexy bits.**_

_**Drama/Romance**_

_***xxxxx***_

_**Summary: Two people each running from something, meet in the last place one would expect to find their one, but can they put their past hurt behind them, learn to trust another person, and maybe find love again?**_

_**Just to save any confusion, Finn and Rachel were both born in America but grew up in Australia. This story is a complete AU one shot **_

A/N: Hi and welcome to my newest story, Finn and Rachel are a little OOC to begin with, but please stay with me. As always I own nothing but the plot, OC's and any mistakes.

Any songs included, named brands or companies used, also belong to their rightful owners.

Enjoy and please review to let me know what you think. As always my stories are intended to give Finchel the happy ending they deserve. Thanks to everyone for all the fantastic support of my last story, I really appreciate you all.

cab4five

* * *

It was a Tuesday just after 7 pm on a warm autumn evening in mid March. Perth had suffered terribly this past summer with the heat, but for some reason no one ever understood, March always seemed to be just as hot, if not hotter than the previous three months of summer.

A tall man walked with a purpose through the door of his favourite watering hole '_The Brass Monkey_' on James Street in Northbridge. Finding his customary barstool empty and signalling to Tory the barman for his regular double Bundy and coke, sighing deeply. Trying not to remember the news he very recently received that turned his world on its arse.

As his ordered drink is placed in front of him, the man nods his thanks and slaps down a crumpled $100 note saying sadly, "Thanks, just keep 'em comin' mate"

"Oh man your money looks as sad as you, anything I can do to help?"

His customer shrugs his broad shoulders and says angrily "You don't wanna know buddy, and I don't wanna talk about it, just keep the drinks coming dude."

Tory nods his blond head and does as directed, knowing something bad must have happened to his friend to warrant such a change in his demeanour, 'Cause Finn Hudson was one of the nicest guys around, always happy to help out and share a laugh or story from his time on the road. A few minutes later he places in front of his friend another drink, and a plate filled with a medium/rare T-bone steak with chips, a small salad bowl, a couple of buttered bread rolls and a small wicker basket of condiments.

The man nods his thanks wrapping one large hand around his glass and swallowing his drink in a single swallow. Finn, in-between mouthfuls of his dinner, and the ever-present glass of rum and coke, was unfortunately and albeit unwillingly, reliving the past 12 hours of his life…

Finn (POV previously)

_Finn's girlfriend had just given birth to a beautiful baby girl, she didn't have a name yet because Lucy kept vetoing every name Finn came up with. He was in favour of Bonnie or Carole-Anne, after his mom. Everything had gone ok considering the baby was born a month premature, but the next day She had started to present signs of liver trouble and both Finn and Lucy had been told that the problems might lead to the need of a transplant a bit later down the track, so it was imperative that her parents, take a blood test to check for compatibility._

_Finn couldn't understand why, he just assumed as her parents he and Lucy would naturally be compatible, but wasn't going to argue. Finn was more than happy to do the test, as he wanted to do whatever he could to help his baby girl through this. Later that same afternoon, his good mate Dr. Mike Chang called Finn into his office and as Finn sat down looking worried at the sombre look on his old friends face, he immediately dropped his head into his hands and took deep breaths trying to keep his tears at bay. What Mike said next though, turned his emotions and his world upside down…_

"_I'm so sorry Finn…"_

"_Shit Mike how could something like this happen… she's only a tiny baby, why wasn't this fucking problem picked up before? Lucy had so many tests the whole time she was pregnant…"_

_Mike just looks at his friend sadly and suddenly realises he is talking about the baby's health. "Oh man ... I… um… I don't really know how to tell you this Finn…but um… the baby isn't yours."_

_The world stopped for Finn as he was trying to take in what Mike had just uttered, and he just sat there not knowing what to feel for a few hours/ days, he wasn't sure but then when his voice caught up with his turbulent dizzying thoughts. He finally exploded, jumping up from his chair and starting to pace_

"_WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE ISN'T MINE, FUCK MIKE, WHAT SORT OF THING IS THAT TO SAY WHEN MY DAUGHTER IS SICK HUH?" Finn has stopped his pacing for a few minutes yelling at his good friend, trying to get his head around the information Mike has just imparted._

"_Finn please sit down and let me try and explain what we found after analysing the blood tests, we also as part of the routine testing, did a DNA test, and well if you will look at the results..."_

_Mike taps a couple of sheets of paper on his desk that once Finn looks at them can see they have different coloured lines and in some places sections have been circled in red ink._

"_Well as you know during the testing we used blood from you and Lucy as well as the baby…"_

_Finn nods his head and motions Mike to continue, before dropping his head into his hands and resting his elbows on the desk top in front of him._

"_Yeah ok um you are group O, which is a very good thing mate, as your blood can help lots of people. Lucy is group A which means baby should also have been group A, but um… well Finn she is group AB, and we also found something else, which is very unusual."_

_Finn snaps his head up and focuses his amber eyes on his long time friend before asking, "What else is wrong with her, and what do all the letters in the blood groups mean?"_

"_Well there's no way she can be yours because the groupings just don't match, but the other thing is we found by chance that the baby also has the genes for Tay Sacs, which is a pretty bad thing, so I've heard, I've not had a patient with it but a couple of my older colleagues have dealt with it, and apparently if one of the parents is a carrier there is a 50% chance the baby will have it..."_

"_WHAT? Why wasn't Lucy tested then?"_

"_Finn, mate please calm down, they would only do the testing as part of her regular checkups, if one of the parents was Jewish, because the disease is only found in Jewish people."_

"_But neither me nor Lucy are Jewish… wait a freaking minute are you telling me she cheated on me?_

_I can't fuckin' believe this… all this time… "_

_Before Mike can say another word Finn has jumped up and tugged open the door, angrily kicking over the poor defenceless chair that was next to the door and storming down the hallway towards the wards. His guts churning, threatening to throw up his lunch all over the clean hospital hallway, and just as he nears the door to Lucy's private room, his eyes focus and the realisation of what Mike was telling him is cemented into his brain… _

_Because there on the bed for the world and his dog to see, is his blonde girlfriend with her arms wrapped around a tiny pink bundle, her green eyes focused on the baby which in normal circumstances would make Finn a very happy man… but what spoilt the picture the 6'4" man was presented with … was the skinny, pasty white arm draped around Lucy's shoulders and the thin lips pressing a long kiss on her pale cheek, his stupid fro atop his stupid face and his black plastic framed glasses perched on the end of his large nose, his other hand gently rubbing one finger over the baby's tiny cheek._

_When Finn took a closer look at the guy he vaguely recognised him from the high school Lucy worked at, he was the computer or journalism teacher. Jacob or Josiah and some double-barrelled last name Ben… that was like a country, or whatever the fuck it was he didn't care either way._

_Instead of making a scene, and punching the other bloke's lights out until he was a messy splodge on the floor, like his inner voice was telling him to, Finn just strode into the room not making, any effort to converse with or indeed even look at the trio on the bed, he just grabbed his jacket off the chair and briskly walked out of the room, heading for the stairs, thinking that by the time he descended the 5 flights, his temper might have abated somewhat… _

_Well it might have if the blonde green-eyed cause of said temper wasn't waiting for him the minute he stepped into the lobby. Not wanting to have a conversation and make a scene with her in public Finn made to walk past, but she reached out a hand and grabbed his forearm._

"_Finn I…"_

"_What Lucy? Are you trying to think of something to say that would excuse your lying and cheating? Do you know how much of a fucking idiot I felt when Mike told me the baby wasn't mine huh? Why did you carry on with your little game and let me think it was my baby. Did you ever really love me and want to be with me or were you just using me and screwing your fucking lover boy the whole time, then laughing at me behind my back? _

_It is perfectly fucking obvious now, but we are done! I'll be out of the flat by tomorrow night, so just lose my number and don't bother to let me know anything about you ever, oh and don't expect to be able to spend anymore of my money either, though that's probably the only thing you really liked about me."_

_Finn pulls his arm away and side- steps the woman dressed in a dressing gown and slippers_

_Trying to get away as quickly as possible before his temper exploded and he did something regrettable._

"_Finn, I love him…"_

_The tall man stops in his tracks and taking a deep breath turns to glare at his ex and in a dark tone, says_

"_Yeah? But you couldn't be adult enough to break up with me, instead you let me get excited about the baby, that you knew all along wasn't mine, and you knew how freaking much I wanted to be a Dad, and how I was willing to stop driving and get a job in the city so I wouldn't have to be away all the time. Now you tell me you are in love with some other bastard and having his fucking kid. I know we had some issues with me being away a lot of the time, but… fuck…look it doesn't even matter anyway, we are done… so yeah… thanks for nothing!" _

_He then makes the revolving entry door in four long strides, leaving the woman standing there not even caring enough to show any remorse or in fact any feeling at all, before she shrugs her thin shoulders and turns toward the lift, and as the door closes, she looks upwards and a smile forms on her face, as the lift ascends to the 5__th__ floor and her family, not sparing a single thought for the man she has spent the past 18 months with…_

**Finn (POV) **

When Finn Hudson, stumbles out of the 'Brass Monkey' at 11:30 that night and makes his way to the City View Motel, just a couple of blocks up the road, he is met by an overly chirpy desk clerk, who after handing him back his credit card and a room key wishes him a good night and hopes that he sleeps well.

Finn doubts that either of those two will be happening for him but after stripping and jumping under a hot shower he climbs naked into the king size bed hoping sleep will come quickly, but as the universe is taking a turn to piss all over his life at the moment, he finds sleep impossible, instead he spends the night tossing and turning, and every time he thinks his brain is going to turn off, it bombards him with dreams of him holding a new born baby that looks just like him, only to have it seconds later look just like the Jew fro'd, glasses wearing, dipshit fuckin' bastard that moved in and stole his life. He finally fell asleep about 5am just as the early morning sounds indicate Perth city is coming to life and preparing for another busy day.

By lunchtime, on that Wednesday Finn had arrived at the flat he shared with Lucy in South Perth. It was a beautiful area overlooking the Swan River. The foreshore was a perfect place to sit and watch the water or the city lights at night time, he remembers sitting there watching the Australia Day fire works in January, and remembering back to when he was a kid and how it was just like the 4th of July celebrations in his home town of Lima in Western Ohio. Thinking that the next year he'd be able to bring his kid, (HA, HA, what a fucking joke that is).

Finn collected all his personal belongings and papers, a couple of suitcases of clothes' his laptop and guitar, long with his swag, a couple of extra towels and bathroom supplies. When he had everything stacked in the tiled foyer he realised that the few bags of clothes and personal family items was all he had to show for his life so far, and became even more pissed off than he already was, thinking that by now he should have had a loving wife and dimpled amber eyed, messy haired babies crawling around his feet. Laughing bitterly to himself for ever thinking the universe would do him any favours, after the shit he'd dealt with since he was 17. Finn shook the images out of his head, as he searched through the fridge to find the dozen or so cans of coke hidden under the packets of expensive gourmet crap, that Lucy 'just had to have saying "It's for the baby Finn" and then the pantry reaching to the back of the topmost shelf for the bottles of Bundaberg rum and Chivas Regal Scotch, he put there last Christmas.

The last thing he did was grab his half a dozen photo albums, spending a good 15 minutes going through and removing every single one that had anything to do with his life with his now ex, he contemplated tearing them all up or burning them in the sink, but couldn't really be bothered and it was a bit childish for a grown man of 24. So instead he chucked them in a messy pile on the bed and after dropping his door keys on top, walked out.

While he was partaking of the cathartic exercise with the photos', he was thinking about the last 18 months and the woman he had shared his life with, and came to the honest conclusion that it was really only the idea of being a dad that was keeping him there, the magic had gone from the relationship months ago pretty much around the time she got pregnant, and now he knows the reason why Lucy didn't want sex or to spend any intimate time alone, and the one week out of every four he was home, she was always too busy with work or said one of her friends needed her, to want to spend time with him.

The rest of the day was spent speaking to his bank manager about reorganising his account, and making a phone call to his boss in Geraldton. So by about 5pm after filling his bright cherry red ute with petrol as well as the extra couple of jerry cans, and making sure his esky was filled with food and drinks, he dug around in the glove box for his CD holder, and after finding his favourite Jimmy Barns one, slips it into the stereo, cranks up the volume and starts singing along, feeling free and for the first time in what has been a long stressful week somewhat happy.

"_Well he's following the broken lines_

_Living on borrowed time_

_Motel rooms and broken hearts all left behind_

_You swear he couldn't close his eyes_

_As he shifts into overdrive_

_He's been up and down this road so many times_

_The man of his own_

_And searching just keeps him proving_

_That only the road_

_Can tame the rebel in his soul_

_It's the rhythm of the highway_

_As he rolls on down_

_And city lights as they fade from sight_

_Drives the man behind the driving wheels…"_

Finn turns his Ute onto the northbound lane of the freeway out of Perth City and meeting up with the Brand highway, the beginnings of the sun's slide down the sky, behind him for the 6-hour drive north to Geraldton, and hopefully a new life. Finn was used to driving at night and actually preferred it, as the roads had less traffic and he could see the stars, and it just seemed more calming somehow.

Not enough to make him lose focus and be unsafe, but feeling the power of his truck, underneath him and being so high off the ground, made him feel different, he couldn't explain it really …except that he felt free and happy. He couldn't wait to get behind the wheel of his truck again, so with Jimmy still belting out some classic rock, and a smile breaking out on his face, and the late afternoon air whipping his hair, Finn drives, the words of the classic song echoing in his head…

"_It's the rhythm of the highway_

_As he rolls on down_

_And city lights as they fade from sight_

_Drives the man behind the driving wheels…"_

XXXXX

Rachel (POV present)

"Mornin' Rae, can I have my usual please love? That and one of your smiles will see me through till Broome I reckon"

The sound of giggles echo around the nearly empty restaurant due to the rather early hour, (not too many people are out and about at 6:30am) as the request is answered.

"Course Pop, I won't be a tick, there's coffee in the pot if you want to get one now."

"Ta love, but I'll just check on Molly first."

"Ooooh bring her over to the patio and I'll see what we've got out back for her. I'll bet she's grown heaps, she hasn't forgotten me I hope, I've missed her."

Bluey's loud guffaw could be heard all the way from the front door to the counter.

Rae finished serving the older couple and wished them well on their journey and hoped they enjoyed the rest of their trip to Darwin.

Letting Jack the cook know Bluey was in for his usual, she grabbed a paper plate and filled it with some burger mince, a spoonful of cooked rice and some cold bacon. She spotted through the large front windows, the bald, full bearded, tattooed, singlet-wearing Bluey (who's tough no nonsense persona hid the soft sweet man underneath that Rae thought of like a favourite Uncle or young at heart Granddad hence the name Pop), at one end of a bright pink lead and at the other end a small red kelpie puppy excitedly bouncing across the red dirt car park.

"Hello Molly, my, aren't you a beautiful girl… look how much you've grown since last time, are you hungry hmm? Well look what Auntie Rae has for you can you sit for me? That's a good girl."

Once Rae put the paper plate on the cemented floor, Molly looked up at her then at the plate then at Bluey, as if asking for permission and at the slight nod and particular hand gesture from her owner she gobbled up the food, seemingly without even chewing it, then proceeding to jump into Rae's lap and give her a slobbery kiss, in thanks, making the tiny brunette giggle with delight. Rae returned the kiss still giggling at the very firm thumping of Molly's tail against her apron-covered chest.

A bit later that morning at about 7:30, Steve Burton the roadhouse owner gathered all his staff and told them worriedly

"Guys the weather bureau has issued a warning for all towns in the Ord River Catchment area due to the cyclone that has formed out in the Timor Sea and travelling at this stage in a south - westerly direction. I know we should be okay here in Kununurra with the dam and all, but we will more than likely get some heavy rain and they reckon the Ord is likely to flood. So we will probably be cut off for a while, I've been in touch with Creams Transport down in Geraldton and they are sending one of their boys up from Broome, with a few extra supplies, like drinking water, gas bottles and non perishable foods just in case the power goes out.

He should be here sometime late today, so the more hands on deck to give him a hand to unload, the quicker we can beat the weather, and depending on it, you guys can probably have some time off as I don't expect too many folks will be travelling through, heading North at any rate."

Steve and his wife Wendy had been in this part of the country for about 30 years and were used to the force of Mother Nature, but even so cyclones' and flooding rivers weren't something to be taken lightly, but people in scary situations can lose all sense and do stupid things, therefore putting themselves and others in danger.

About 6.40pm, Rachel had finished her shift for the day and was just relaxing in the patio area (waiting to help unload the truck of supplies rather than go home and have to come back again) reading a book and having a cup of tea, when her mobile phone rang.

"Hello? Oh hi Vic, what's up? Oh dear…, no, no of course that's not a problem, I'll just have to go home and change, but give me about 45 minutes? Ok see you later bye."

Rachel swallowed the last of her tea, grabbed her bag and raced to the car park, after quickly letting Wendy know and asking her to pass on the message to Steve and apologising for not being there to unload the truck. Arriving at the 'River Caravan Park' and parking next to her caravan she raced inside grabbing her bathroom bag and towel, and went to her private bathroom to get ready for work. Cursing once she was under the water, that she hadn't brought a change of clothes in with her, once finished, she wrapped her fluffy red towel tightly around her petite body and a smaller micro fibre one around her long hair, dashed out and into her van, thanking the stars that the rental van 5b next to her own 5a was empty, she didn't have to share the bathroom as the ablution block was two sided but she wasn't really in favour of flashing her neighbour. Some of the _'clientele'_ the park sometimes attracted were a bit too much like _that_ person in her past and what had happened to her at home for Rachel's liking. As much as she tried to forget about the incident it popped into her head at the oddest times, like now and left her feeling ill and scared all over again.

Rachel (POV Previously)

_Rachel was 14 and just starting her freshman year at Hudson View High in New York City, when her Daddy died suddenly of a heart attack. She was heartbroken, as her daddy was her favourite parent and she was lost without him. But after a few months was coping okay, well, well enough to get on with her life and focus on school … that was until her mom decided she wanted to move back to her family and home country of Australia and dragged Rachel literally kicking and screaming to the small outback town of Kununurra in the far north west of Western Australia._

_The teenage Rachel hated the place with a passion for a long time, though that probably had more to do with the fact that within 6 months of arriving, her Mom had met and moved in with a man named Bruce Whyte, who from the first moment they were introduced scared Rachel. He was always watching her in a full on creepy way and when her Mom was out of the room said things that were full of sexual innuendo and how much fun they could have late at night when her mom was asleep._

_Rachel tried to tell her mom what Bruce said to her but Shelby told her not to be silly and why on earth would a grown man want anything to do with a tiny, flat chested and not overly pretty teenager. She also said Rachel was jealous that she had found someone new to take care of her and that Rachel should be grateful that she can still have the sort of lifestyle they had in New York. _

_Her Mother had never been the sort to support and guide Rachel as she grew up; preferring instead to continually point out Rachel's so called flaws. Such as her lack of height, small build and her most common complaint was about Rachel's nose, 'apparently it was too big' and it was no wonder Rachel had never been in the popular crowd at school or likely to snag one of the boys in the 'right circle' when she was older._

_Rachel always ignored her mothers horrible words and decided to focus on what she deemed her best attributes, such as her thick silky brunette hair that hung to her mid back in soft waves, her big dark brown eyes and extra long lashes, and her vocal abilities. Rachel had been in the glee club at school in New York, but sadly her new school in Australia didn't have a glee club so the only singing she did was when she was by herself._

_The more time went on the more forceful Bruce's attentions became. Scaring Rachel but no one ever believed that such a high profile man as Bruce (he was the manager of the Argyle Diamond Mine, which is just outside of town) would be interested in a girl of 16. Things came to a head after a family Christmas get together, when Bruce drunkenly forced his way into Rachel's bedroom and was about to have his way with her once he had stumbled into her bed and pressed a sweaty hand over her mouth and shoved his other between her legs, pinching roughly. _

_Shocked awake Rachel managed to squirm around enough to get free and screamed so loudly that it brought all the houseguests from where they were in the house to see what was going on. Thankfully one of them was her Uncle James a police Sergeant who was visiting from Broome. After hearing Rachel's account of the events he called his mate Sergeant Bob Wallace from the Kununurra station, who then arrested Bruce on a charge of attempted rape. _

_It took Rachel a long time to get over what had happened, and as a result her relationship, such as it was, with her mother suffered terribly. Poor Rachel had nightmares for years and developed a fear of the dark and blonde men that smelt of old spice aftershave. Shelby distanced herself from Rachel, and by the time she had graduated from high school Shelby had left town, the last her now 17and ½ year-old daughter had heard she was in Sydney shacked up with some young surfer guy or lifeguard or something. Rachel's own relationships with guys suffered as well, because it took her a while to be able to become intimate, and even then, there really wasn't any feeling besides fear on her part as much as she liked the guy…she soon ended it. _

_Rachel had grown to love the isolated outback town and was always ready to burst in laughter when tourists asked her "if she could tell them where Hugh was." Kununurra was where the movie _Australia_ staring _Hugh Jackman_ and _Nicole Kidman_ was filmed, every one was hoping to see, (well the female tourists mostly) Hugh's famous shower with the bucket scene, and once they found out he wasn't actually there, they were disappointed, but soon found enough other things to be amazed by. Like the abundant bird life that met daily on the river's edge and the crocodiles' lying in wait for an easy dinner, or the Argyle diamond mine, Ord river Dam and luxury resort or just the stunning scenery, though some vowed never to step out of the tour bus again because of the giant 'dinosaur's' that roamed the place (the locals knew the dinosaurs to be just monitor or racehorse goanna's but they moved pretty fast and scared the shit out of an unsuspecting tourist)…_

_Rachel had got a job at the BP roadhouse once she left school and moved into a caravan at the local tourist park, then once she turned the legal age of 18 picked up extra work at the hotel as a barmaid. Rachel was saving as much of her wages as possible so she could one day leave this town and travel or maybe go back to New York, she still kept in touch with her Daddy's family and was looking forward to going back and maybe making her home there, but for now the 23 year old was stuck in Kununurra._

XXXXX

Finn (POV present)

Finn's boss Nick, who was based in Geraldton, had called just before he left Broome, asking him to head to Kununurra instead of back to Geraldton, after collecting a load of supplies to take up in case the cyclone and subsequent heavy rain stranded folks in town. Finn was happy to go as he had always enjoyed the town and especially the people who ran the BP roadhouse and the hotel, they were a real friendly bunch and most times when he was there for an extended time found some interesting people to talk to. Plus the food at both places was excellent.

Finn looked at the clock on his dash noticing the time as 6:43pm, and as he started to go down through the gears ready to turn into the roadhouse car park, he noticed from the corner of his eye, a little purple car speeding out of the car park. He didn't give it much more thought as Steve was guiding him using a series of hand movements to where he should park to unload the gear. Finn acknowledged him by sticking his long arm out the driver's window and giving the older guy a thumbs up gesture.

Once everything was unloaded Steve introduced Finn to the couple of new staff that had joined since Finn's last trip. As each person answered when their name was called, Finn just gave a head nod and was just about to speak when Steve asked, "Where's Rae?"

"Oh Vic called and asked her to fill in for Cheryl tonight." Wendy said

"Oh ok, well you can meet her later then…"

Finn finally gets a chance to speak and says "it's real good to see you all again, but what I really want right now is to have a shower and a feed then a long kip I've been on the road for 11 hours straight, but I'd be happy to talk later maybe, and with the way the weather's looking I reckon the roads will all be closed by the morning, at least that's what the last report I heard on the radio said, so if someone can give me a lift to the caravan park so I can get settled in I'd be grateful."

"Sure mate I'll just grab my keys and meet you by your rig in 5 yeah?" Steve says as he walks towards his office

"Thanks man." Finn makes his way towards the semi trailer and truck parking area and unloads a bag, his swag and his guitar. Making sure his truck is secure, Finn is waiting for Steve, wondering idly who this Rae is as he doesn't remember hearing the name last time he was through this way… maybe she wasn't on then or whatever, he shrugs the thoughts away as he sees Steve pull up in his land cruiser.

20 minutes later he is standing outside caravan 5b and looking forward to a hot shower and a sleep, thinking a nap will give him a reboot before he wanders down to the pub for a counter meal and a few drinks. He vaguely wonders who is in the van 5a next door when he sees a couple of planter pots filled with flowers and a washing line strung up between the bathroom and side of the van. But doesn't give it much more thought as heads for the bathroom. And after a relaxing shower lays on top of his rolled out swag in just a pair of boxer briefs, setting his phone alarm for an hour or so, thinking 8pm is a good time to wander to the pub, he knows the kitchen should still open so getting some dinner shouldn't be a problem, that and a couple of drinks will finish his evening off just nicely.

He wakes up just before his alarm is due to go off because of the shrill incoming call alert his mobile is emitting, fumbling in his half asleep state Finn doesn't look at the caller id.

"Hello?" At first he thinks it must be a crank call because all he hears is sobbing and sniffling, so he speaks again

"Hello who is this?"

"F-Finn, I need y-you."

His voice taking on a hard edge, he asks "Lucy? Is that you? I told you I'm not interested in your drama, go and tell your boyfriend…."

"F-Finn, he left me…"

"Well that not my problem …"

"But Finny I need help with our baby and I can't afford it on my own, y-you said you wanted to be a D-dad now you have to step up and pay …"

"The fuck! What are you talking about woman? It's not my kid, and I told you that day at the hospital I was done with you so figure it all out for your self, I'm not fucking interested, don't call me again."

Finn blocks the number before he slams his mobile shut and punches his pillow, trying to wrap his head around the nerve of his ex. She must be using a different number 'cause he swears he deleted her number when he left. He decides he needs a drink so now in a state of full alertness, jumps off his bed, cursing loudly as he hits his head on the overhead cupboard, again cursing at the fact that caravans are not made for men who are nearly six foot four inches tall.

XXXXX

Rachel (POV present)

As promised Rachel was pulling her little mulberry coloured Honda civic into the car park of the Hotel Kununurra just under 40 minutes after Vic called and asked her to fill in Cheryl. As she walked in she noticed Vic behind the bar, busily serving the thirsty patrons, smiling widely at the man, who gave a loud sigh of relief when he saw her.

"Thanks love for coming in I know you've been at the roadhouse all day, but none of the other girls were available, and Cheryl is a mess her boy Kyle broke his arm at school after falling off the bloody monkey bars. So she's stressing about him and looking after the other two kiddies, 'cause her hubby is on shift out at the mine, so yeah…"

"It is ok Vic I don't mind, it's not like I had much of anything else to do anyway, 'cept wait at home for my prince charming to come along and whisk me off to my happy ever after." At the sad frown Vic sends her way Rachel just giggles and rubs her tiny hand over his shoulder, then heads off to the other end of the bar.

Rachel's shift started off as normal, guys flirting with her and wanting to take her home later. Normally she played along with the guys to a certain extent, she wasn't interested in any of them, but it was just harmless fun. But tonight was heading for one of those nights, which made her wish she worked anywhere else. Due in part to the rain that was starting to come down, like cats and dogs, which for some weird reason made the customers, a bit more determined to drink the place dry, but the downside of that is … the guys tend to get rather vocal and suggestive and their brain to mouth filter falls out and floats away. Vic has had to throw a few blokes out over the time Rachel has worked there, because they refused to understand that the barmaids are not public property or available as an extra bonus for spending the most money.

XXXXX

Finn walks into the bar of the Hotel Kununurra, the heavy rock music matching his mood, as he grabs a bar stool right at the end of the bar and waits to be served, seeing the barmaid dealing with a patron already he just sits sort of air drumming along to the classic song thumping from the juke box, and singing along with it under his breath.

"_Ridin' down the highway_

_Goin' to a show_

_Stop in all the by-ways_

_Playin' rock 'n' roll_

_Gettin' robbed_

_Gettin' stoned_

_Gettin' beat up_

_Broken boned_

_Gettin' had_

_Gettin' took_

_I tell you folks_

_It's harder than it looks_

_It's a long way to the top_

_If you wanna rock and roll…"_

"Hey darlin' give us 'nother drink, then maybe you can show me and my mates, a good time, yeah?" Darren tries to drive home his lecherous intentions by sending Rachel a wink and eyebrow wiggle and indicating his two just as drunk friends, by jerking his thumb at them over his shoulder. The movement nearly making him fall of his bar-stool.

"The drink I can do but not the extra sorry" Rachel sends the guy her 'business' smile and as she puts his drink on the bar top, saying, "that'll be $6.50 thanks, and I think you should take it easy cowboy, didn't I hear you and your mates saying you were headed down to Geraldton in the morning? That's a long way so you need to be alert."

"Fuck I don't want no fuckin' lecchure, you sound just like my old lady, all I want is some booze and some fucking company. You bar Sheila's are 'sposed to be nice to us an' give us studly blokes what we wants, so us guys want you to show us a good time out in our panel van."

In a hard voice Rachel says, "Well the drink is the_ 'only'_ thing available." And with that she turns away and moves along the bar a bit

"Hey Daz, what the fuck is takin so long matey, is she gonna come or what? My dick is fucking rock hard and standin a 'tenshen, ready to talk to 'er, I reckon that mouth could take me all the way down her froat when she sucks me off."

"Shit yeah! I reckon she could take all three of us at once."

"Fuckin brilliant, never had no freesome afore, I reckon she'd be a real screamer but, ha, ha, ha"

Rachel was pissed off by the stupid talk. So she is trying to avoid the three idiots and instead grabs her cloth wiping the bar top as she makes her way to the other end. Her temper slowly simmering just under the surface. Her inner voice saying "that even if those three were the last blokes on the face of the earth she wouldn't go anywhere near them, that's if they could even get their dicks out of their pants without an illustrated instruction manual."

"Hey sweetheart can I get some service?" a harsh, deep voice calls from the very end of the bar.

She slaps her cloth on the counter and asks without looking at the guy.

"Yeah! What can I get you?"

"Um… double Bundy and coke oh and some nuts if you've got any and if it's not too late can I get a burger and some chips as well?"

"Yeah I got nuts, and as she turns away to fill the request, writing down his food order and sending it through to the kitchen her face flushes as she hears the customer she is busy sneaking peaks at, in the mirrored wall, chuckle at her words, and as they come back to her she realises what she just said and feels so silly.

Rachel places the glass and packet of nuts on the bar saying softly, "That'll be $18 even thanks."

Her hand shakes slightly as his fingers brush hers as he hands over a $20 note.

Placing his change next to his half empty glass, she tucks a wayward strand of hair behind her ear and biting her bottom lip, says shyly, "I'm sorry I snapped at you before but… those bastar… I mean idiots down there really pissed me off and I don't really have nuts, 'cause well I'm obviously a girl and all, but I can tell you are the sort of guy who likes them… I mean not that you are gay or –or anything… but."

The handsome man just shrugs his broad shoulders and gives her a dimple producing side smile, making Rachel's insides turn to mush and her temperature rise by what feels like 50 degrees.

Rachel gets him another drink after he indicates his empty glass and while she is busy, talking more to her self says

"Could you be bloody lamer Rachel, OH MY GOD! The first cute guy you've seen in ages and you carry on like a freaking high schooler with a crush, you don't even know his name and now he probably thinks you are a cheap tramp trying to catch hold of the first decent guy, you see to get you out of this town…" she moves along the bar again, cute bar guy's chuckles following her and for quite a while is busy so she doesn't serve cute guy again, or indeed notice that he even left.

Rachel is busy washing glasses once the rush has slowed down, when about 10:30pm Vic tells her she can knock off. "It's comin' down real heavy outside now love so you go on home, I can finish up here, thanks again for coming in on short notice."

"Are you sure Vic?" the older man nods and gently pushes her with one hand on the small of her back towards the door.

"Ok then call me if you need me tomorrow night, goodnight Vic."

"Night Rae"

Rachel waves over her shoulder as she collects her bag and bright pink umbrella, standing for a few minutes on the front veranda, while she searches in her bag for her keys. Struggling to find them and cursing her decision to buy such a deep bag with so many damn pockets inside, as well as hold her umbrella against the rain blowing in. When all of a sudden she is grabbed from behind and feels a pair of sloppy lips drooling what is supposed to be kisses down her neck but instead is leaving a stream of drool dripping down her collar, and a sweaty hand snaking up her belly, under her t-shirt grabbing hold of her right boob, and squeezing roughly.

Rachel lets out a scared squeal, "Get off me!"

"Aw come on darlin, we can have a bonza time jus' us, you know ya wanna."

"I-I do not want anything t-to do with you, now g-get away from me before I call the p-police, I have a rape whistle you know."

Rachel pulls away from the drunken Dazza's tight grip, and again searches her bag sighing with relief when she finally finds her keys. And just as she is about to step off the veranda, another voice is heard, though for some reason this one doesn't scare her.

"Sorry for making you wait baby, but there was a line up for the loo."

And before Rachel knows what is going on she is pulled into a warm, strong embrace by whom she can now recognise as cute bar guy and feels his lips pressing onto hers in a soft kiss that ignites the fire within her soul and has her wanting more.

Finn can't describe the feeling, holding Rachel in his strong embrace, makes him feel, besides protective, as she is tiny compared to him.

After what seems like hours but in actual fact was only a few seconds cute guy pulls away, locking eyes with Rachel briefly, smiling inside when she buries her little face in the material of his dress shirt before turning to Drunky McArsehole, levelling him with a dark and dangerous glare and saying in a threatening tone, not trying to hide the fact that he would like nothing more than to carry out his next words.

"You guys need something?"

At the scared look on the others faces and the rapid head shaking, cute guy speaks again.

"Good well piss off then and if I ever catch you dickheads speaking to my girl like that again, you will be a greasy mess on the fucking floor, you get my meaning?"

Walking away Finn and Rachel, don't hear the comments of,

"Holy shit, how fuckin big is that guy"

"I think I crapped my bloody pants"

"Fuck! No wonder that babe wasn't interested in us, he is one scary bastard."

"Too right mate, fuck it, let's get out of here, in case he comes back."

Then completely ignoring the three guys still standing in the rain scared shitless,

Finn takes the keys out of Rachel tiny shaking hand once they reach what he assumes is her car, bending his neck to whisper in her ear asking,

"Yours is the purple one yeah?" he thinks it must be as it is the only other car there besides the panel van belonging to the drunken trio of asswipes, and a station wagon with a mining company logo sticker on the door.

He is answered by a soft nod of Rachel's brunette head against his chest, and as he keeps one arm wrapped tightly around her slim shoulders he takes hold of the umbrella and opens it, making sure most of it is covering the silent, still shaking but beautiful woman at his side, then guiding her across the car park trying to avoid the many deep puddles, that have formed.

Quickly opening the passenger door and gently closing it after Rachel has climbed in, then racing around to the drivers side, closing the umbrella and trying to stow it in the back seat without splashing too much water over his passenger or poking her eyes out, he finally manages to shut the door huffing when he has to slide the seat all the way back to accommodate his long legs.

Finn puts the key in the ignition and takes off out of the car park, stopping once they are on the road.

"Um, it's Finn…" at the puzzled look from the cars other occupant, he elaborates running a large hand over the back of his neck, something he only does when he is nervous or worried about something.

"My um… name is Finn, Finn Hudson."

Rachel finally finds her voice and tucking some lose damp hair behind her ear and pulling her bottom lip into her mouth with her teeth, says nervously. "H-hi Finn I'm Rachel Berry, I want to thankyou for you know saving me back there, I was pretty scared. I can usually handle myself but well… there were three of them…so yeah well thanks very much."

Finn just nods, his attentions' focused on her face, and as his amber eyes zero in on her mouth he licks his own lips and coughs to clear his throat, before giving her a firm nod and asking where he is taking her.

"Oh um the caravan park please, I'm in van 5a."

"You're my neighbour? I'm in 5b."

Rachel smiles shyly at Finn, "Oh well can I at least thankyou buy making you a hot drink?" she is hoping he will accept her offer as she really wants to chat with her very attractive saviour, and hopes they can become friends at least for the time he is here, and she is internally crossing everything she has that maybe down the track a bit they could do that kissing thing again. She is shaken from her fantasy world by the hard tone of the man next to her.

He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, with a long forefinger and thumb, before speaking, "Look Rachel I'm not looking for any thing especially from another woman. All I want right now is a good nights sleep so don't go getting' any ideas ok? That kiss didn't mean anything, it was just to help you out back there 'Cause I could see those bastards were botherin' you, but… yeah well …

Before any more words are exchanged, Finn has pulled the little car to a stop outside their caravans, and Rachel is climbing out. Her big brown eyes hard and on the verge of tears when she spins on her heel and practically spits out her words, shocking the tall man into speechlessness.

"Well Mr Hudson I'm sorry I bothered you, but you can rest assured I'll not trouble you again with my silly neediness, thankyou for your help." As she opens her door she turns around as says in a hurt voice, "just because you might have been hurt before or whatever, not all women are the same, and for your information I wasn't looking for a cheap tumble in the sheets, I just thought you might like a friend as I can tell by your accent that you are from the States like me, but that idea is now obviously down the drain good night. I hope you have a safe trip to wherever you are going, whenever you leave this town"

And with that she slams her door shut behind her, leaving Finn standing in the rain, listening to her angrily throwing things about and swearing crudely, alternated with loud distressed crying. Feeling like a right bastard for just assuming she was like his ex or any of the other women he has come across that are just looking for a free ride out of what ever small town they happen to be stuck in.

Kicking the van tyre as he jerks open the door to his van, Finn swears out loud,

"FUCK IT! Could you be anymore of a fucking bastard Hudson huh? Now you've gone and stuffed up having even a friend to talk to."

And if he was really honest with himself he was hoping to get more of her kisses, because even for that brief minute when he practically attacked her mouth he felt like an electric current had surged through his entire being, and realised he'd never felt like that before, and honestly wanted that feeling back, but because he was a grade A asshole bastard, he had blown his chance of probably getting even a hello from the gorgeous, and dare he say sexy, petite brunette.

He angrily rips his sopping wet clothes off and dumps them in the sink then grabs his towel and scrubs his hair. Digging in his duffle bag for some clean boxers, he lays on his bed trying to think of some way of apologising to Rachel in the morning. Hoping sleep comes quickly, so this shitty day can be done.

In van 5a, Rachel Berry has calmed down after her disastrous evening and is trying to fall asleep, but finding the task damn near impossible, as her mind just won't settle down, and let go of the hurt, that Finn just automatically assumed all women were looking for a free ride and would sleep with any man just to get it. Obviously he had been hurt in the past… oh what did it matter he wasn't interested in her in any way, so she would just forget about him and get on with her life, just keep working and saving her money until she could leave Kununurra and go back to New York. Cursing her mother for spending all the money her daddy left in his will, and the fact she can't touch the money he put away in an investment account for her till she is 25. She would rather have her daddy here but intends to use it to find her dream.

The rest of the night was spent tossing and turning, her thoughts keeping time to the pounding of the now exceptionally heavy rain, till about 7am. Thankful she had a day off from the roadhouse today, Rachel was planning to have an easy day. But her plans were thwarted when… as she opened her door to go to the bathroom dressed still in just her tiny sleep shorts and thin-strapped cropped singlet, which is doing nothing at all to hide her body, now alert from the cool morning air…

Well she was going to go with that and not the sight of the most handsome man she thinks she has seen in years. Who with one look had her acting like a dizzy high schooler with her first crush. That was before she even knew his name. He was sitting in one of her plastic patio chairs, dressed in not much more than a pair of black basketball shorts and a soft grey V-necked singlet, showing off a very sexy arm band tattoo winding around his right bicep and affording Rachel a tantalising glimpse at the dark hair peaking out from underneath and covering what she can see in her minds eye as a firm well defined chest and abdomen.

She is greeted by a dishevelled looking Finn who at her approach jerks his head up from where it had been resting in his hands, his light brown hair showing the evidence of a lot of time spent agitatedly running his fingers through it. Licking his lips at her approach and dragging his bloodshot amber eyes up and down her scantily clad body. Making her shiver and not _only_ from the cool early morning air…

"Oh… um… hello Finn, what are you… er doing there?"

Finn stands up from his chair and walks over to stand in front of Rachel, looking at her eyes then her mouth and back to her big brown, wide-open enquiring eyes. Rachel thinks he is trying to look into her soul, and at the intense look she softens a bit.

"Yeah hi Rach… I was um hoping to talk to you… and er basically apologise for my jerk behaviour last night… Um I was sort of hoping that maybe you'd let me buy you breakfast? I saw the roadhouse does pancakes' and sausage, and I've not had that for ages… so will you please join me? So we can talk and start off on the right foot?"

Pulling her bottom lip into her mouth with her teeth and nervously tucking a wayward strand of hair back behind her ear, not missing the soft groan that leaves Finn's throat, she thinks he is genuine in his attempt to apologise so ignoring the words she said about forgetting him, her head nods of its own accord in agreement and then her mouth takes over.

"That sounds good, thankyou Finn; can you give me 15 minutes to get ready please?"

"Finn smiles crookedly in relief at Rachel's answer, and nods his head happily, looking more like a little boy than a grown man.

"Yeah, yeah sure, I'll be here waiting for you." He points to the chair, Rachel continues in to the bathroom, after quickly nipping back inside to grab her towel and some clothes. Finn calls her

"Rach…?"

As she turns to face him, blushing slightly at the nick name, he sends her another panty wetting side smile and says softly, standing so close to her she swears he can hear her heart racing in her chest.

"Thanks, for agreeing to talk and for not telling me to get lost I really do want to make it up to you."

Rachel just nods again and chews on her lip, before, making her way around his large body to the privacy of her bathroom.

While he is waiting for Rachel, Finn hangs his wet clothes from the night before, on the line outside his van and is lost in his thoughts of how cute and sexy Rachel looked a little while ago, and unconsciously thought how he would like to wake up to that sight every morning.

He was also very glad he was sitting down when she first come down the steps, all sexy bed hair and rockin' body in those sexy, barely there PJ's. Thankful she didn't see the full on boner he was sporting, which was proof he thought she was different but he didn't want her to think, he was an arrogant sex crazed prick.

He had never had such a strong reaction to any other woman before… well since he was in high school at any rate, (but he always put that down to his teenage hormones and his body's inability to control its self…) thank god, and needed to call for the mailman. Not even with his ex, so maybe it was the universe's way of finally doing him a solid and telling him that there was something special about Ms Rachel Berry… He secretly wanted to find out everything. Plus he figured being part of something special makes you special right? Besides he decided it was time for him to catch a break and be happy.

Thankfully he had calmed his body down, by the time she emerged from her bathroom, barefooted, and dressed in a pair of jeans that ended just below her knees, and a soft lacy top with a pink singlet underneath, her beautiful brunette hair in a loose plait falling over one shoulder and resting over her pert breast. Her little face clean of makeup letting her natural beauty shine through. And as she walked past him, Finn got a whiff of her coconut shampoo blending perfectly with her soft perfume, that immediately reminded him of his mom's, sweet flowers with a hint of musk but something else that was just distinctly Rachel.

Indicating to her feet she ran up the steps and emerged a couple of minutes later with a pair of low-heeled sandals and her handbag.

XXXXX

After giving Sandie, Rachel's friend and co-worker at the counter, their breakfast orders, Finn guides Rachel with one large hand splayed across her lower back, to a table at the back of the empty restaurant. Finn was glad the place was empty because he didn't really want an audience listening in on his and Rachel's conversation.

Sitting down across the table from Rachel, Finn nervously clears his throat and rubs his hand over the back of his neck, watching Rachel as she takes a napkin from the dispenser at the end of the table and proceeds to fold it in tiny squares, obviously to hide her nerves.

Finn has to smile at her she looks so perfect and tiny… he drags his mind back to the reason he asked her here.

"So um thanks again for coming with me Rachel, I really do appreciate you giving me a chance to explain."

"Its ok Finn, I'm sure there must be a perfectly valid reasoning and explanation behind the deplorable and hurtful way in which you treated me last night, but just because I'm a barmaid doesn't in my opinion give any man the right to just assume I'm some opportunistic trollop trying to catch the eye of the first cute guy that I'… she's seen in ages that passes through town … and furthermore I also refute the claim that all women are…."

Finn chuckles at her indignant rant and before she knows what is happening he has taken hold of her hand and is rubbing a thumb across her palm

"Rach please calm down so I can expl…"

"Morning Rae, Finn." Sandie says chirpily as she rests her tray on the edge of the table and places their steaming plates of pancakes and sausage in front of them as well as a mug of coffee each, a large bottle of maple syrup, and cutlery.

She gives both a beaming smile along with a soft "enjoy guys" before leaving Finn and Rachel to their breakfast'.

Finn reluctantly lets go of his tablemate's delicate hand to focus on his food, he sends a soft smile across the table to Rachel, wondering why people call her Rae as it sounds too hard and rough, but then he supposes it gives her a tough edge to be able deal with some of the idiots and drunken assholes she has to put up with on a daily basis. He decides he prefers Rach; he melts inside at the soft answering smile that makes the gold flecks in her dark eyes twinkle like stars.

Every now and then moaning over his breakfast, Finn finishes his meal with one last morsel of pancake, swiped through the last dregs of syrup, before he licks his lips moving his tongue nearly down to his chin, and then using a napkin to finish off. Watching as Rachel daintily swipes her tongue over her lips before taking a sip of her still warm coffee.

"Mmmm, thankyou Finn that was delicious, I must admit I haven't had such a yummy breakfast in ages."

"You're welcome Rach, do you want more coffee? 'Cause I do then we can go somewhere quiet and talk yeah?

Rachel nods and says "Yes please a large cappuccino to go would be lovely thanks Finn."

"You got it won't be a sec." Rachel watches him as he walks up to the counter feeling very weird inside and doesn't understand how in such a short space of time one man can make her feel this way, she decides to ask him if he wants to go to her van to talk as it is comfortable and private.

"Ok here we go, now are you ready to go?"

"Thanks … um did you want to go to my place it is comfy and private and as we both live right next door I thought…"

Finn cuts off her ramblings by taking hold of her free hand in his and gently tugging her towards the door only letting go so he can open her bright pink umbrella, to cover them against the rain as they dash to her little car.

Once settled in Rachel's van, she on her bed resting against the headboard with her legs tucked underneath her, and her hands resting in her lap, fiddling with the hem of her top. Finn was on the small daybed. He looks at Rachel and smiles at the soft inquisitive look she sends him across the small space, before speaking.

"4 months ago my girlfriend had a baby…"

A loud gasp and a sad look interrupts' his story. He shakes his head and holds his hands up in a surrendering action

"Rach please just hear me out." Rachel sighs and nods urging him to continue.

"Thanks"

In a hard tone he continues, "Well as I said my girlfriend had a baby girl, and she was beautiful, I was over the moon I had been so looking forward to being a Dad. Everything went well despite the fact she was a month early, then the next day, we were told she had a problem with her liver and we had to have blood tests done to see if we were compatible in case she needed a transplant later." He pauses at the sad look on Rachel's face but carry's on with his story, hoping she will understand once he finishes.

"That's when my world fell apart, my mate Mike was Lucy's doctor and he told me, that after checking the results there was no way the baby could be mine, the letters on the blood groups didn't match up or something, plus they also found she has some other thing in her blood that only Jewish people can get…"

"Oh Finn I'm so sorry." Rachel says as she is suddenly across the small space and taking hold of his hand rubbing the top of it with both her tiny ones. "What did you do then?" she whispers.

"Well after I kicked over a chair in Mike's office." Another gasp from Rachel, he shrugs making eye contact and says sheepishly "I have a habit of kicking defenceless furniture when I'm angry, I stormed off to confront her, but when I got to her room I saw her with her arms wrapped around the baby, and resting her cheating blonde head on the bastard's shoulder. So I walked in not speaking at all, grabbed my stuff and walked out, trying to calm my temper, by taking the 5 flights of stairs, which worked to a certain extent until I was face to face with her in the lobby … and well after a somewhat heated conversation walked out and ended up at my favourite pub making a few decisions the next day, packed my stuff and… and well here I am."

"OH Finn, what an awful thing to happen, but you do know we aren't all the same…." She is cut off

"I know that Rach, and I was pretty much over the betrayal and was moving on with my life, as I hadn't heard anything from her since that day at the hospital. Then yesterday after I arrived here, and had finished unloading the stores at the roadhouse, I got here and was so tired after driving 11 hours straight through, all I wanted was a sleep. Then my mobile rang, waking me up and it was her… cryin' and whingeing that he had left her and I needed to step up and pay for stuff, for my kid…"

Rachel goes to pull away and Finn knowing she was thinking he lied to her held on tight his one hand completely enveloping both of hers.

"Rach, please I promise you it's not my kid, and I told her I wasn't interested in her or her problems and there was no way in hell I was taking responsibility for a kid that wasn't mine. Well that had my temper raging, then as I stood up I bashed my head on the cupboards… so by the time I arrived at the pub I was ready to thump the first person who looked at me sideways. Then those idiots that were giving you a hard time, just made me feel like…, I don't know for some reason I knew you weren't like my bitch of an ex, but I guess I was just still fired up from her call, but basically I'm just fuckin' scared of getting attached to someone else and have them do the same thing. But I honestly promise you Rachel I am totally over her and don't want anything to do with her ever. I mean I feel a bit sorry for the baby, that I'd grown to love, and the fact that she has problems, but she isn't and will never be mine, so yeah I hope you can believe me and maybe take a chance on me?"

Watching his face as Finn speaks; Rachel bites her lip and for a little minute, listens to her inner voice. "_Take a chance on him Rachel, at least as a friend, god knows you need more, and girl you can't deny there is some sort of chemistry fizzing away between the pair of you, plus someone as cute and sexy as him deserves a woman who will just love him for being himself and always be honest, and if the occasion arises, brutally so. You just never know what might happen in the future, just like that song says, 'Don't Stop Believing'._

"I'm so damn sorry I took it out on you, and I'm begging you to give me a chance to prove to you that I'm not like those drunken wankers and that I _am_ looking for a friend and more when I'm ready, but if you've got a boyfriend then I'll step back and not bother you again… Though I'm really hoping you haven't. 'Cause I have to admit Rach that kiss did something to me, and I quite honestly haven't felt that way for a very long time, even when I was with my ex. So can we be friends please?"

Finn looks at Rachel and gives her his puppy dog eyes, hoping she will fall for his little boy charm, and say she wanted to be friends.

Though he is very concerned and about to kick himself for upsetting her yet again when her head drops, causing her chin to rest against her chest and her shoulders shake and he hears what he thinks is crying. He is just about to say something and put his hand on her shoulder to apologize when…

A soft nervous giggle escapes from Rachel's open mouth and she lifts her brunette head, the action alerting Finn's nostrils to the scent of coconut, her dark eyes shining.

"Finn, thankyou for the apology, and if you are really certain your feelings for your ex girlfriend are now null and void, then I see no reason why we can't be friends like I'd originally desired."

At Finn's emphatic head nodding and big happy smile that showed off his very cute bordering on sexy dimples to perfection, Rachel started to talk again.

"Now let's start again shall we? I know we have only just become acquainted but I feel a strange connection to you Finn Hudson and I want to be honest and upfront so there are no bits of information about me that might make you change your mind about wanting to be my friend" Rachel holds out her hand in the universal way of greeting and says, while the tall man opposite her takes hold of her hand which results in an electric charge cursing through both their bodies, slightly stunned, Rachel continues speaking.

"Hi I'm Rachel, Barbra Berry; I'm 23 years old, my birthday is the 18th of December and I am very much the single pringle, not that I'm a virgin or anything but I haven't found the right one that was interested in anymore than a quick dirty tumble in the sheets or in his car at any rate. The one guy I thought was special was apparently seeing three girls at once, and being a fly in fly out worker at the diamond mine I was none the wiser, until I received an angry phone call from his wife in Darwin. I have lived here in Kununurra since I was 14, after moving from New York City after my Daddy passed away. My Mother Shelby is Australian and has family here in town, hence our relocation. But due to a falling out over her boyfriend's, completely inappropriate obsession and attempted sexual assault on me in the middle of the night when he was drunk, and arrested then charged with attempted rape, and she and I subsequently became estranged. More I think due to the fact she didn't want to believe me when I repeatedly told her what he'd been saying and doing for months whenever she was out of the room. She refused to admit any man, sober or not would be interested in her tiny in every way 16 year old daughter.

My Daddy Hiram was always my favourite parent, and as I grew up I realised my mother was jealous of our bond, she was always telling me how she had to give up her career on the Broadway stage when she became pregnant and lost touch with her friends and the theatre scene, while staying at home to look after me. Daddy had apparently refused to allow me to be put in day-care as he said I needed my Mother to guide and care for me not some random person, at least while I was very young. But he was always encouraging her to continue with her singing and music. He told me once that was what attracted him to her, and hoped I inherited her musical talent. She never failed to remind me though, of what she saw as my flaws, i.e. my female attributes and my nose, and how I should seriously consider surgery to 'improve' said flaws"

Rachel stops talking and her face takes on a wistful look as though she is remembering, Finn sneaks another look at her rockin' body and thinks her mom must have been blind, because in Finn's opinion Rachel, even though a tiny 5'2" or so is perfectly proportioned, as an image of her this morning still in her PJ's pops into his head.

"He sounds like a top notch Dad Rach and I'm so sorry you lost him and had to deal with all that crap, but as for your Mom, like you said she was most probably just jealous… I don't think there is anything wrong with you. But I do think you are so strong to have got through it and made a new life for yourself at such a young age.

Finn sends her a sad look and takes hold of her hands, absentmindedly rubbing his thumbs over the back of them. Smiling softly as she just nods at him, chewing on her bottom lip for a couple of seconds, before continuing with her story

"Um well then after I'd finished high school she left town and the last I heard from her she was in Sydney shacked up with some young surfer or life guard or something. So I've been looking out for myself since, biding my time and saving as much money as I can, to travel back to the States and Daddy's family, and maybe go to college and get some qualifications, I know I'd probably be the oldest student there but well… I'm not really sure what I want to do as yet in terms of a career, but my Daddy set up a trust fund for, me which I can access on my 25th birthday. I do like the idea of teaching singing or choir, but any sort really as long as kids enjoy and learn, or maybe even advertising as a jingle writer, I've been writing songs for years and have quite a few notebooks filled with drabbles."

Rachel stops talking and takes a deep breath and a large gulp of her what by now must be lukewarm coffee, as Finn looks at her and wishes he could find that sick bastard and kick the ever living shit out of him for hurting the tiny woman beside him, and putting the haunted look in her eyes, as well as her mother, not that he would hit her, 'cause that is just wrong, but to give her a good talking to.

"Well if I were you Rach I'd be very proud of my self, for getting through all that and having some idea of what you want to do with your life, and I reckon if you just keep believing in yourself and your dream to get back to the US then anything is possible. But I can't believe you haven't got a boyfriend, 'cause I have to say and I hope you don't think I'm some perv creeper or something… but Rach I think you are stunningly beautiful and very sexy and think you deserve a guy who will cherish you and just love you for who you are. I know I'd be very happy if I had a girl like you and I promise I'd treat you right and look after you… and I mean that not just as a rebound either, I mean we really only just met but from that first moment, and you were talking about nuts, I knew deep down that you were different, but I was so angry at the time, but I really hope you will take a chance on me, and not just for the time I'm here now…" he adds shyly, then once he has finished he nods his head firmly as if to finalize his point as the absolute truth.

As she is listening to the determination and honesty of Finn's words Rachel can't help the tears that begin to fall unchecked down her honeyed cheeks. And with a croaky voice says softly.

"O-oh Finn, thankyou that is t-the nicest most honest thing a man has said to me in years, and I must admit I thought when I first saw you, that there was something different about you, and I am willing to give our new found friendship a go as long as there is nothing in your past that could come back and bite you on the butt and spoil things because there is one thing I demand in any relationship Finn, and that is total honesty."

Finn squeezes her tiny hands saying softly. "thanks for sharing all that with me Rach, now it is my turn to tell you my story, but before we start I need another coffee and a bathroom break, do you want me to run down to the roadhouse again?"

Rachel shakes her head no and says, "no, no there's no need to go and get wet, I can make coffee here I have everything, just tell me how you like it."

"Ok then thanks, white and 2 but if you have hot chocolate I'd really prefer that, but no sugar."

"No probs it won't take long." She hops up to put the kettle on and find the biggest mug she has , while Finn has risen from the daybed, and walked carefully out the door, thankful to not have embarrassed himself by hitting his head on the ceiling or overhead cupboards.

Resettled on the daybed with his extra large mug of hot chocolate covered in smiley faces and a plate of warm buttered banana bread, and star shaped sugar cookies, Finn takes a few moments to savour the sweet nutty taste of the bread, something he hasn't had since his mom… well for a long time.

Sighing in-between mouthfuls "Man this is so good Rach; it is one of my favourites." Finn says after he has washed the last morsel down with the last of his hot chocolate. He is answered by an appreciative beaming smile. he moves slightly and reorganises the mound of cushions at his back ready to tell Rachel his story, hoping she doesn't find him lame by copying her opening hand shake he sticks his large hand out still warm from holding his mug and in offering it to Rachel says .

"Hi I'm Finn Christopher Hudson, I was born in Lima Ohio on the 15th of March, which I guess makes me 24 as of a couple of months ago. I moved to Perth with my Mom Carole and Dad Chris when I was 9 because my Dad's advertising company wanted to set up another office oversees and wanted him to take charge. Well just like you I wasn't happy with the move as I'd had to leave my school and mates behind, but after a while I made new ones and things settled down Dad was doing great with the business and Mom had been able to continue with her nursing career after a short retraining period, they'd tried to have another baby when I was about 10 but Mom lost it and due to complications we nearly lost her too. After the business with the baby they decided they wanted to stay in Australia so we became Australian citizens. So obviously I grew up as an only child.

Dad had been made the executive manager of the Perth office and we had this real nice town house, overlooking the river in Applecross, I was doing well at school and had decided I wanted to be a mechanic working mainly on trucks and the big rigs, so I left high school in year 10, which would have been sophomore year back home and was lucky enough to gain an apprenticeship with one of Perth's best known haulage companies, so I worked 3 days a week at the workshop and the other two I went to TAFE I was happy getting messy and learning heaps my teachers at TAFE kept telling me I was a natural and was always getting top marks in my exams and practical tests and such. Once I was old enough to get my drivers licence I started driving delivery trucks for my boss as well, I was real happy Mom and Dad were doing well with their jobs … then 3 days after I turned 17 I came home from work to find a couple of policemen waiting for me."

Rachel makes a loud sob, gasp sound and jumps off her bed and over to the daybed, taking hold of Finn's hand again somehow knowing the next few words will be dredging up bad memories for him.

Sending her a soft smile in thanks, he continues.

"It turns out the police had been trying to get hold of me for hours because… Mom and Dad had been out for lunch with some important new clients, and on their way home Mom and Dad were waiting at a train crossing when some fucking drunken bastard was so blind he couldn't see the flashing lights, boom gates and the line of traffic… so instead of stopping slams into the back of Dad's land cruiser and pushes them into the train… killing himself as well"

"Oh Finn I'm so sorry", through her tears, and angry face she asks softly, not wanting to let go of his hand to wipe her tears "so besides the obvious what happened next?" Finn looks at her and gently uses his thumb to wipe off her tears.

"Well after their funerals and everything, I'd organised all their stuff, you know furniture and household bits and things into a self storage unit, I know it was probably a bit silly to keep it all but I always had the idea of using some of it in my own place once I had a family. I moved out of our town house as it was a bit too much being there without them into a small flat in Maylands which wasn't that far from Welshpool where I was working and threw myself into my work and vowed to be the best freaking diesel mechanic I could be. And once I finished my apprenticeship my boss, who knew I needed to get away from the city, put me in touch with his brother who ran a trucking company based in Geraldton and needed more long distance stock truck drivers. You know picking up cattle from the sale yards and taking them to the ships or meat works. It was the best move I ever made, I loved the open road and as I wasn't in Perth a lot I was finding it much easier to forget what had happened. So for a few years that's what I did, driving from Geraldton to Perth and the occasional trip to Broome."

Finn pauses to look at Rachel, whose big brown eyes are flooding with tears and spilling out over her flushed cheeks, she still has hold of his hand, but he lifts one up to again swipe his thumb over her cheek and wipe away the moisture. The feeling of protection the sad look on her little face evokes in him makes him smile and he pulls his hand from her grasp so he can wrap his arm around her slim shoulders and squeeze gently trying to convey to her that he is okay now with what happened as much as it hurt then, he can't do anything about it.

He verbalises his thoughts. "It's ok Rach, I'm pretty much over it know, I'll always miss them but I know all I can do is be a good person and work hard. I was looking forward to one day meeting the right girl and settling down so I could be as good a parent as mine were. That's why I was over the moon when Lucy told me she was pregnant…"

"Where did you meet her Finn if you were on the road all the time?" Rachel asks softly a slight jealous tone coating her question lifting her head slightly from Finns muscled chest.

Looking down into her face, Finn licks his lips and with his free hand rubs the back of his neck.

"Nearly 2 years ago, this past Christmas, I guess. At a party at my Friend Mike Chang's place she was a friend of Mike's girlfriend Lisa, I thought at the time she was the most beautiful girl I'd seen in forever. I'd been on the road as I said so the chance to meet girls was fairly limited…well anyway we hit it off and before long we had moved in together in a real nice townhouse overlooking the foreshore in South Perth. Things were going great 'Cept I was on the road 3 weeks out of every 4, then when she told me she was pregnant I was the happiest man alive, and I was ready to quit driving and get a job in the city so I wouldn't miss out on her pregnancy or the baby, growing up."

"I put her lack of interest in sex and intimacy when I was home down to her being pregnant, so I just spent my home time buying her what fancy super expensive stuff she wanted to eat and getting the nursery organised and all that other stuff. I even had a couple of jobs lined up so everything was terrific. That was until 4 months when the baby was born and well I've already told you what happened. So yeah that my story."

"Well I think you are a very strong person too Finn Hudson, we are a lot alike it seems both having lost our parents and dealing with lies and cheating then making the best of what we have. So I think now we have aired our pasts we should look forward to the future, so if you are in agreement Mr Hudson…" She pulls her self out from under his arm and turns to face him climbing onto his lap so she is straddling him, then resting her hands on his shoulders locks her big brown eyes on his gorgeous amber ones and says in a whisper.

"You know you can kiss me if you want to."

Without missing a beat Finn answers just as softly with "I want to."

Then as their lips mesh together, the world stops and from somewhere all either can see and hear is music and shooting stars, interspersed with images of, Rachel sitting in the cab of his truck, singing along to the music from the stereo, and small brown eyed dimple cheeked babies that no one can take away from him.

"I have wanted to do that since last night."

"You weren't the only one, so why don't you stop talking and kiss me again, because Miss Berry we have a lot more to '_discuss_', and a lot of wasted time to make up for.

So the rest of that wet July day was spent talking and getting to know each other better and thankfully the universe was doing both Finn Hudson and Rachel Berry a solid and leaving them in peace finally realising they were perfect for each other.

XXXXX

Over the next few months Finn and Rachel, became closer even though Finn was back driving he had been able to base himself in Kununurra as his boss Nick had organised for Finn to be the main driver picking up the cattle from the sale yards in town and taking them to the ships in Darwin, for sale in the Asian market. Australian beef is highly prized there especially the Brahman breed. So instead of being away for weeks at a time it was only days. He and Rachel had opted to keep their separate caravans for the time being, but spent more time together in one another's than in their own.

Due to the Queens birthday long weekend in October the port in Darwin was closed, which meant Finn was home, and he had planned to treat Rachel (who he was very happy to announce to anyone who would listen that Miss Rachel Berry was his girlfriend and had been for three months now). To a nice home cooked meal, (well by home cooked he meant from the excellent Chinese restaurant in town) he had ordered all their favourites and stopped at the pub getting Vic's opinion on the best wines to serve that Rachel liked. He was even able to get a couple of bunches of her favourite fragrant lilies sent from Darwin the day before. So all he was waiting for now was his tiny girlfriend to arrive home from her shift at the roadhouse so he can spoil her.

When Finn spots his girl's little purple car pull in next to his red Ute in their parking bay, just after 6:30pm, he rushes out of his van hardly giving her chance to catch her breath, before he has swept her up into his arms and pressed his hungry lips against hers.

"My goodness baby, what ever is the matter…? Though I have to say feel free to greet me like that every time I arrive home."

"I just missed you is all babe, now how about you jump in the shower while I finish organising the special dinner I planned just for you, I'll be back before you know it."

Leaving another hot kiss on her mouth and a firm squeeze of her skirt clad butt, Finn turns around to climb into his car, smiling crookedly at the dazed look on Rachel's face and the fact she is still standing in the same spot as he reverses out of the carport. As he drives off he has to palm his crotch trying to lose the hard on. He is blown away by the way his body has always reacted to Rachel, and plans to show her just how perfect he thinks she is later that night. On that thought his mind drifts back to the first time they made love.

_It was a week to the day, after they had bared their souls and kissed for the second time in July during the time they were flooded in, once they got over their shyness and the inhibitions they'd held (well Rachel more so) for years about their attractiveness to the opposite sex, and Finn's nervous fumbling with the tiny condom packet, which Rachel then took from him and just as nervously with shaky hands rolled it on his rock hard length, getting even more turned on at the moans that slipped from his swollen lips. Things moved very quickly and afterwards laying tangled together with heaving chests and sweaty bodies in their post coital bliss then once they regained their breath, whispered endearments were exchanged and Finn had decided from that day forward he would do what ever was necessary to keep the tiny perfect brunette with the biggest heart as close to him as possible for as long as she would have him, which as it turns out is exactly what she was thinking and told him so an hour later when their bodies joined again after a little power nap._

Arriving back home after collecting their dinner Finn put the half dozen containers in his little oven/warmer thingy and made sure the wine wasn't over chilled he looked at his little table and smiled at the way everything looked perfect. The table was too small for the vase (well large coffee jar as he didn't have a vase) of flowers, he had borrowed some fancy plates and glasses from Wendy at the roadhouse who promised to keep Finn's plans for their favourite girl a secret so he placed the vase on the sink bench, where Rachel would see it the minute she walked in the door. He quickly changed into a nice button up shirt and decent cargo shorts, he'd already showered and shaved before, with one last look at the table and checking the food wasn't getting too hot, he opened his flywire door and stepped out into the cool October evening walking the half a dozen steps 'next door' to Rachel's place and knocking on the door.

"Good evening Miss Berry I'm here at the request of your very handsome and studly neighbour a Mr Finn Hudson, who has requested you be his dinner guest in apartment 5b in precisely 10 minutes time, so may I please escort you?"

A loud burst of musical giggles escape from Rachel's pink painted lips, as she takes hold of the offered hand and makes to step down the couple of steps to the concrete floor of the patio her high heeled sandals clicking on the hard surface, the muscles in her bare legs stretching and making Finn groan internally when he gets a good look at her petite body clad in a black mini skirt and loose fitting lace top held together with a couple of little ribbons, her beautiful brunette tresses loose and falling in soft waves halfway down her back. And when Finn guided her up the steps to his van he smiled widely at the gasp of surprise when his dinner guest noticed the vase of flowers and the prettily decorated dinner table. The tantalising smells of the warming dinner wafting through the small space.

"Please take a seat Miss; can I interest you in a glass of white wine? I've had it on good authority this particular one happens to be your favourite." Finn reaches for the bottle, briefly showing her the label and after popping the cork pours a small amount into the fancy glass, handing it to her to taste.

"Mmmmm, that is absolutely perfect thankyou, can you tell me please when my sexy and so very charming date will be arriving as I'd really hate for him to miss out on such a lovely romantic dinner as this, as I was hoping we could share some quiet time after dinner by maybe taking a stroll to the park and just looking at the stars." Rachel is trying to keep her giggles inside as she watches Finn fill their glasses; she is thoroughly enjoying the little charade they are playing and thinks it makes her love him even more. Because yes she will happily admit she is in love with Finn

"I can assure you miss he will be here in a flash"

Another burst of soft giggles, Finn suddenly turns around acting surprised when he notices Rachel sitting at the table holding her wine glass to her lips.

"Hi baby I'm so glad you could make it tonight I missed you" he leans down to join his lips with hers moaning at the softness and the taste of wine still lingering, his pants already feeling too tight. "Now are you ready to eat my lady, because I'm starving and I had my assistant slave over this for at least 15 minutes."

"Yes please it smells fantastic" licking the wine from her lips she asks if he needs a hand. Finn shakes his head as he lifts a tray of foil containers from the oven and places it on one end of the table where Rachel has spread out a dishtowel to protect the surface.

Conversation over dinner is light and happy, both thinking that this is how life should be, no dramas, just happy… just together…

Reaching across the table to take his hand, "I really appreciate all the effort you went through for this baby but is there something you want to talk about or that is bothering you?"

Finn shakes his head, turning their joined hands over so he can rub the top with his thumb, "Not really Rach I just wanted to spoil you and tell that that these last few months with you have been the best of my life and I really do love you. Well… I guess there is something I was wondering if you'd want to move in with me into like a house proper like."

Rachel is quiet for a moment turning over her boyfriend's question and as she looks at his handsome face and honest amber eyes filled with hope, her answer jumps off her tongue and before she knows it she finds herself wrapped in his tight embrace, the table shaking with the force of their movements, their combined giddy laughter ringing in their ears.

"Thankyou baby you have made me so happy, now I guess the only question is where, and do we want to stay here or go to Darwin, or even New York?"

But before Rachel can comprehend Finn's last two words her mouth has been taken hostage and she feels herself being lifted bridal style up from the table and pressed gently on the softness of Finn's bed. Then all thoughts of anything vanish from her mind as Finn's lips move in a slow trail from her mouth down her throat and stop for a minute at the swell of her breasts peaking over the neckline of her top. She moans at the little nips he leaves feeling everything as his hands slide up her sides and sneak under her top to gently caress her satin clad breasts before moving around to find the clasp at the back and remove the obstruction, huffing in annoyance when he can't find it.

Rachel giggles with amusement as she arches her back automatically, then after managing to take in a breath of air, tells him sweetly, "Baby it opens at the front"

Another annoyed grunt, Rachel feels Finn's hands slide around and over her ribs, as his mouth continues to lay a trail of little butterfly kisses. She feels him smiling against her heated skin when his mouth makes contact with the ties on her shirt, and his little "Yes" in triumph as he undoes them with his teeth. His nose pushing the soft material away from his prize, lips then latching on and sucking her nipple through her bra, until it became a hard bud.

While he is busy Rachel traces the firm muscles of Finn's back, raking her nails down and under his shirt, then skirting them around his waist, to his button and zipper on his pants. Her own groans of frustration blending with Finn's moans of pleasure as he finally frees her boobs and using his guaranteed, (to have her a moaning writhing mess,) mouth and hand actions, lifts his lower half slightly off her body to assist his tiny sex goddess to remove the now quite painful barrier between his rock hard dick and her secret place. He smirks against her breast when he feels how wet she is already. He switches sides to give her left breast the same attention, and groans loudly when he feels Rachel's hand grip his dick and slowly move in an up and down movement twisting her hand ever so slightly at the head. A few more minutes of that is all he can stand before he moves off her his chest heaving at the sight of her laying there half naked her silky hair spread all about her head and shoulders and over the pillow like a cape, her pink lips swollen from their numerous kisses and her chest rising and falling with every gasping breath she takes.

With uneven breathing he asks, "Are you trying to kill me Miss Berry, huh? Because I've a feeling if I don't get us out of these damn clothes and make love to you very soon, I very well might explode and that would be a real shame, not to mention messy, don't you think?"

All she can do is nod and bite her lip struggling to pull her over heated and wound up tingling body up on the pillows a bit more, lifting her hips slightly as to aid her man to remove her skirt and panties, while she deals with the lose sides of her top and bra, throwing them over the side of the bed to land, well she doesn't care, all she cares about at this exact moment in time is having her hot sexy and very talented man give her what he knows she needs. Finn doesn't need to be told twice so as soon as he rips the rest of his clothes off and is standing there… all toned body, and rock hard erection standing to attention. He has to take a minute to get his head around the fact that the stunningly beautiful and sexy woman laying there naked waiting for him. Is actually his and with him because she genuinely loves him and wants to be there, not because she has some hidden agenda or secret loser boyfriend on the side.

He is shaken from his musings by a soft "Baby are you ok, because as much as I enjoy the view I'd rather you brought Finny Jnr down here as I have a spot that needs attention and only he can give me what I want." He looks at her then, her brown eyes half lidded with desire and her tongue licking her lips and all of a sudden can see his future.

"Of course baby." He lays down, between her thighs careful not to squash her and resting his weight on his arms, as he leans his neck down to press a soft kiss on her already puffy lips in-between murmurings of "I love you" smirking a little at the way she keeps lifting her hips to get her buzzing center, against his. He teases her for a few more seconds till she moans out a needy

"Finny please baby I need you"

And within seconds the moans of frustration turn to ones of pleasure as he presses into her still tight core and as she adjusts, he kisses along her neck sucking on her collarbone, just hard enough to leave a mark, running his hot tongue over the spot to sooth it. Before he feels her start to move and matches her movements with his own, interspersing his thrusts with whispered words of love for his tiny princess.

"Oh baby yes harder pleeese, I love you Finn so much baby, yes, yes righ… more…"

As always every time they come together like this Finn is amazed how Rachel makes him feel, he can't describe it really except to say he feels complete and happy. He lifts her smooth leg higher up his thigh so it rests around his waist and Rachel, knows what he wants so she lifts her other locking her ankles over his butt, giving Finn a better angle to thrust his pelvis even deeper. The music their bodies are making is enough to rival the sweetest sounds in the world and the love Rachel is sending him just with her eyes and her body means Finn doesn't need to hear the words from her lips. But as usual he can't help but to utter his three favourite ones just as he feels his body ready to explode, "I love you Rach" all Rachel can do is nod her head and hang on to his biceps as she feels her own release imminent, begging him to take her with him, then with a last couple of hip thrusts from both of them they finally fall off the plateau of ecstasy. He explodes as does she, their combined juices forcing their way past his member and pooling on the sheets. The force of his release making him momentarily blind, Rachel then slams her mouth against her lovers, and forces her tongue inside his to tangle with his tongue joining them in the same manner as their bodies. Pulling away suddenly to take a gasping breath of air and through emotion fuelled tears says haltingly "I…I, l…love …you so-so much F-finny and w-would move to the moon with you if you wanted t-to.

Tears spill unbidden from Finn's amber depths as he computes Rachel's words, as he slowly pulls his now soft member from her still tingling body he rolls onto his back and can do nothing but pull her against his thumping chest and wrap his arms as tightly as possible around her pressing a series of kisses against her upturned cheek before settling on her lips and tenderly, uttering in-between those kisses.

"I" kiss "love" kiss "you" "for the rest of my life and I'd really like it if you would marry me,, I know we've only been together a short time but I know I have found my forever after with you and will never ever want anyone else, so please will you make me the happiest man in the world and say yes, I even have a ring and everything…" Rachel looks at him slightly stunned still coming down from her sex induced high, her heart pounding against her ribs so strongly she is sure Finn can see it.

Finding her voice "W-well how can a girl refuse that offer I mean if you already have a ring, and all, after all it would be such a great shame for it to sit in the little blue box right there on your side table and not be opened or grace the delicate third finger of my left hand, now wouldn't it Mr Hudson hmm?"

"So that's a yes?"

"Yes baby that's a yes! A loud happy emphatic yes! now if you'd be so kind as to present me with said ring so we can then engage in some totally hot and awesome engaged persons sex, and this time I want to be on top."

Rachel then squirms her flushed naked body into a sitting position and delicately presents her left hand to Finn, who scrambles to sit up resting his sweaty back against the headboard and reaching his right arm, flexing his bicep which makes the band tattoo seem to move in the half light, across Rachel's bare chest rubbing her boobs cheekily as he does, grinning goofily at the moan that leaves her mouth, till his large hand clamps over the tiny blue velvet box. Turning to face Rachel on the bed he opens the box and the biggest grin transforms his handsome face as he watches Rachel's brown eyes light up and her gasp of surprise as she sees the stunning pear shaped diamond, surrounded by smaller pink and yellow diamonds on a yellow gold band. With a somewhat shaky hand Finn pulls the jewel from its blue velvet bed and slides it on his fiancée's, still extended finger, sealing the deal with a kiss over the top.

Then with all the force her tiny body contains leaps on Finn's lap kissing his face and neck forcing him to lay down, and grinding her core against him till he was once again hard and throbbing then as she lowered her self onto him so his tip was just touching her swollen lips, she locked eyes with him then as dark brown melded with amber mouthed the only words she was capable of saying or thinking at that precise moment in time 'I_ promise to love you forever faithfully' _and just as she slid down fully on his length eliciting even louder moans and sighs from Rachel, the same words started to play over the speakers attached to the i-pod on the shelf above the bed.

"_Highway Run, into the midnight sun_

_Wheels go round and round, you're on my mind_

_Restless hearts sleep alone tonight_

_Sendin' all my love along the wire_

_They say the road ain't no place to start a family_

_Right down the line it's been you and me_

_And lovin' a music man ain't always what its supposed to be_

_Oh girl you stand by me, I'm forever yours faithfully_

_Circus life under the big top world_

_We all need the clowns to make us smile_

_Through space and time always another show_

_Wondering where I am lost without you_

_And being apart ain't easy on this love affair_

_Two strangers learn to fall in love again_

_I get the joy of rediscovering you_

_Oh girl you stand by me, I'm forever yours faithfully_

_Whoa, oh, oh, oh_

_Whoa, oh, oh, oh_

_Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, whoa, oh_

_Faithfully I'm still yours_

_I'm forever yours, ever yours faithfully…"_

As the last strains of the music die away Rachel collapses onto Finn's chest, and with her last vestiges of energy moves her lips in kissing motions against him whispering a soft "I love you baby", smiling when she hears him return the sentiment and press a gentle kiss against the top of her head. Before they both succumb to their post love making exhaustion fuelled slumbers.

XXXXX

_Epilogue: 5 years later._

29 year old Finn Hudson pulls his cherry red GMC twin cab truck into the driveway of his pretty split level home in a quiet family friendly suburb of Riverdale, in the Bronx. With the white picket fence and the smooth green lawn either side of the rose beds lining the walkway. Just before 6: pm on a Friday in May. And by the time he steps onto the front porch the glossy blue front door with the golden star shaped brass knocker, is tugged open from the inside and he is greeted by a tiny voice yelling at the top of its little 3 year old lungs.

"Momma, Daddy home now, me tell sprise now huh canna I pweese momma?"

Finn wonders what is going on as he bends down to scoop up his excited three year old son., pressing a noisy kiss on little Christopher's cheek, chuckling as he tries to wipe it off and levelling his dad with a glare very reminiscent of his mother, and saying' "Aw Daddy Imma too big for kissey now Imma gonna be…"

"Christopher Hiram Hudson, did I hear you correctly? Are you sure you are too big for Momma's kisses and cuddles?" Finn and Chris both look up at the same time to see their wife and mother dressed in a pair of black yoga pants and an overside t-shirt tied at her hip, her long thick hair in a loose bun on the top of her head, Finn's smile widens when she steps closer to him and presses her sweet strawberry flavoured lips against his, adding a soft 'Hi babe", then making a production of kissing little Chris's cheek while tickling his belly causing him to kick his feet, very close to his dad's private parts. Making the grown man wince and force him to put his son on the floor saying.

"Hey settle down buddy if you kick Daddy you won't be a big brother some day."

"Of course being an impulsive three year old Chris can't contain his secret any longer before he blurts out, "But I is already a big brother Momma said I is didn' ya Momma huh an' the baby's gonna be a girl?"

Rachel Hudson lets out a deep sigh, not at the news her son has just imparted to his father but more at the timing as she was going to surprise him after dinner by handing him the little lemon colored envelope with their new baby's first ultrasound photo, that was taken today. "Yes baby you are going to be a big brother in about 7 months, but we don't know if it is a girl or not yet, we had plans to surprise Daddy remember?"

Little Chris bites his lip and a sad look slides over his face, making Rachel realise how much he looks like his dad. "It's ok baby I'm sure Daddy is still very surprised yeah?"

Chris looks up at Finn who has the biggest grin on his face making Chris feel a whole lot better, and as the tall man leans to again pick him up then tugging his tiny wife against his body smothering both their happy faces in kisses, he thinks how good his life is, and how he can't wait for this new baby who he hopes is a little girl who will look just like his beautiful petite wife.

Later that night Finn showed Rachel just how grateful, and how very much in love with her he still is.

7 and a half months later in late November when he is sitting with Rachel and Chris on Rachel's hospital bed he again marvels at the way his life changed for the better, all those years ago when he met a tiny brunette barmaid and asked about nuts. They share a teary look across their sons head before he drops his eyes to the tiny bundle wrapped in a pink snuggle rug held tightly in his strong arms, he presses a soft kiss on her tiny forehead and says softly.

"Welcome to the world Carole -Anne Hudson, do you see your beautiful Momma and your big brother Chris? and well I'm your Daddy and I just want to tell you that we all love you so much and will do everything in our power to keep you safe from harm and just basically love you.

THE END

_A/N: Well how was it? I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading. Please review and let me know your thoughts._

_Please forgive me if I've got any of the medical details wrong but for this story it worked._

_Songs used: Driving Wheels - Jimmy Barns _

_:_ _It's a long way to the Top – AC/DC_

_: Faithfully - Journey _

_The Brass Monkey is a real Pub in Perth. _

_T.A.F.E campus's (technical and further education) are from what I understand very similar to community college in the USA._

cab4five


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